The laſt Speeches, Confeſsion, and Execution of the Priſoners, December 19. 1677.
DEath in its own nature is very affrighting to Man, the King of Terrours, much more when he comes attended with ſhameful and ignominious Circumſtances; when Perſons conſider that they have haſtened his approach by the Errours of their lives, and are juſtly cut off for their Crimes. Oh! how ſad is it, when poor Souls are themſelves the occaſion of their being thruſt out of this world by untimely Violence, and yet are not at all fitted or prepared for the next. If they look down to Earth, there is nothing but Juſtice and Vengeance ready to purſue them; and4 if they look up to Heaven, they cannot but conclude that too pure a place for ſuch unclean Creatures to enter into, whom the Earth it ſelf would no longer entertain. Yet ſo lamentably do the Deluſions of Satan, and Witchcrafts of Sin blinde the eyes of theſe Malefactors, that they rarely reflect on theſe things till it be too late; nor will be warned by the frequent Examples of their wretched Fellow-Criminals, to leave off their wicked Courſes, till they are precipitated into the ſame Gulf of Miſery.
Of this, the Five Perſons that this day ſuffered were deplorable inſtances. After their Condemnation many charitable Divines went to viſit them, beſides the moſt diligent and careful endeavours of Mr. Ordinary, who, well knowing the weight of his Office, takes care on all occaſions to diſcharge a good Conſcience therein, by uſing all means to make them ſenſible of their ſad Condition, and prepare them for their terrible Change.
The poor Souls appeared as ignorant and unacquainted with the Principles of Chriſtian5 Religion, except only ſome bare empty notional words, as Heathens. True it is, they profeſt themſelves Chriſtians, and that they hop'd to be ſaved by the Mercies of God; but the odious nature of Sin, the neceſſity of a Saviour, the terms of a New Covenant, the nature of Repentance, Faith, and other Evangelical Graces, they were wholly ſtrangers to: But by the pains of theſe Miniſters, God was pleaſed to give them a taſte of theſe precious and moſt important Truths, though 'tis feared, by their careleſs inſenſible Carriage, ſome of them ſtill were more ſolicitous to get a Reprieve than to get Grace, and minded more to ſave their Lives for a few moments, than their Souls to eternity. So hard it is when Perſons have gone on all their lives, hardening their hearts in wickedneſs, to be mollified on a ſudden, though ſummon'd to Repentance by a preſent and unavoidable Death.
One of theſe perſons was heretofore Condemned, and now juſtly brought to ſuffer.
Another about two years ſince was Convicted and received Sentence of Death, but6 obtaining a Reprieve, after long lying in Newgate, obtain'd his Liberty by the General Pardon; but was now brought in for ſtealing a parcel of Swords.
Another was by trade a Sawyer, and had lived neer Iſlington: he had formerly been burnt in the hand, and ſeveral times in Goal; and having lately follow'd the Foot-Pad, was Condemn'd for a Robbery on the Highway.
Mrs. Riggs was notoriouſly infamous; ſeveral of her Children had been executed, and ſhe a year or two ago tranſported for ſtealing Silks; but returning before her time, was now again Convicted of ſtealing, and call'd to her former Judgement. She caus'd her Coffin to be made & brought into the Priſon to her; and we wiſh that ſhe had provided for her Soul as well as for her Carcaſs.
The other woman was Convicted about a year and a half ſince, and upon the General Pardon gave Bail to tranſport her ſelf within ſuch a time; but never did it, but fell to her old wicked Courſes, in which being now taken, ſhe was Condemned.
7There was another woman received Sentence to be Burnt; but ſhe alleadging her ſelf to be quick with Childe, which a Jury of Matrons likewiſe affirmed, that the Innocent Babe might not periſh with the Guilty Mother, Execution for the preſent is ſuſpendid.
The day before their Execution four Miniſters were to viſit them, and beſtowed much pious pains both in Exhortation and Prayer with them, preſſing them to Repent, and Confeſs their Sins, and give Glory to God. To whom one of them was ſo hardy ('tis ſaid) as to declare, That ſhe never in her life, that ſhe could remember, ever felt any Convictions or Checks of Conſcience for her wickedneſs, but now deſired a longer ſpace, promiſing amendment, &c. But they deſired her not to flatter her ſelf with any ſuch hopes, but rather inſtantly to ſet upon the Work with all her might, and improve thoſe few minutes ſhe had allowed her, rather than vainly to expect longer time, and miſ-ſpend the preſent.
8Mrs. Riggs Confeſt ſhe had been a notorious ſinner all her days, and that ſhe had been an occaſion of bringing many poor wretches to untimely Ends, for which ſhe expreſt much ſorrow; but ſaid, for her own part ſhe did confeſs ſhe deſerved to die, and had long look'd for it, and deſired the Miniſters to pray for her.
In the Cart they behaved themſelves very penitently, weeping and wringing their hands, as likewiſe at the place of Execution; but ſaid little, ſave onely, Deſiring all people to take Example by them, and to remember this, That if they themſelves had took warning when others of their Acquaintance, under the ſame Circumſtances, with their dying breath heartily adviſed them to it, they might have prevented this ſhameful untimely Death which now they were to ſuffer. And ſo after Prayers and religious Offices uſual on ſuch occaſions, ſurrendred their Souls to the Mercies of God, and their Bodies to Execution.